Workers Must Not Bear the Cost of the Green Transition!

Combating the climate crisis, protecting our environment and building a sustainable future are responsibilities we all share.

However, this transition must not become a process that undermines workers’ job security, increases income losses and creates new inequalities.

For us, a genuine green transition is one that protects the environment, strengthens labour and puts people at its heart.

 Climate Justice: Responsibility for the Crisis and Its Costs Are Not Equally Shared

Not everyone has contributed equally to the climate crisis. Therefore, its costs cannot be imposed equally on everyone!

Today, the communities suffering the most severe consequences of climate change are those that bear less historical responsibility for causing the crisis.

We cannot expect countries in the Global South to undertake an environmental transition while denying them access to financing, technology and development opportunities.

The green transition of one country must not create a new system of exploitation and dependency built upon the labour and natural resources of another.

Climate justice means the equitable sharing of responsibilities, opportunities and benefits.

The Green and Digital Transitions Must Be Accompanied by Social Justice

People must not be left behind as technology advances!

 Today, the world is experiencing the green and digital transitions simultaneously. Artificial intelligence is advancing, production methods are changing and productivity is increasing.

However, if the benefits of all this progress are not reflected in workers’ incomes, well-being and living conditions, there is a serious issue of justice.

Technological progress cannot be used to justify social regression!

Our approach is clear:

The green transition must strengthen environmental protection, the digital transition must strengthen production, and social transformation must strengthen people and labour.

Without social justice, we cannot speak of genuine transformation.

 Strong Public Services Are Not a Cost, but a Safeguard for Society

From disaster preparedness and public health to environmental protection and education, strong public services form the foundation of a sustainable future.

We cannot protect the environment by weakening public services.

Public services are not a burden; they are a safeguard for society’s future!

 Trade Unions Must Not Be Mere Spectators of the Transition, but Partners in Decision-Making

The future of workers cannot be determined without workers themselves!

When climate policies are being developed, investments are being made in new technologies, and professions and employment sectors are being reshaped, the voices of trade unions must be heard at the decision-making table.

We do not see trade unions as organisations that merely react to the consequences of transformation after the fact.

Trade unions must be strong actors that help shape the direction of the transition, anticipate risks and develop solutions.

Social dialogue cannot be limited to simply seeking workers’ opinions. It must ensure their genuine and effective participation in decision-making.

A just transition cannot be built at a decision-making table where workers have no voice!

Global Labour Solidarity in the Face of Global Crises

In the face of global challenges, labour must also have a strong, united and global voice!

The climate crisis, wars, economic inequalities and the digital transition now affect the shared future of workers around the world.

To address these challenges, we must make international trade union solidarity stronger, more inclusive and more effective.

As the International Labour Confederation (ILC), we continue our struggle with this understanding.

When it comes to labour rights, the voice of no country and no confederation is worth less than that of another.

Our struggle is a struggle for rights, labour and justice, extending from the local to the global level.

*Long live labour, long live justice!*